Door handle construction



-April 21, 1970 K.SCHWENK DOOR HANDLE couswnuc'r'xou Filed ,Dec 22, 1967 INVENTOR. KUR T SH WE'NK ATTORNEY$ United States Patent 3,507,132 DOOR HANDLE CONSTRUCTION Kurt Schwenk, Wolfsburg, Germany, assignor to Volkswagenwerk Aktiengesellschaft, Wolfsburg, Germany Filed Dec. 22, 1967, Ser. No. 692,936 Int. Cl. Ec 3/06; B60r 25/00 US. Cl. 70224 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A door handle construction includes a latching lever which is pivotally mounted within an interior recess of the door handle for pivotal movement substantially about the center of gravity thereof. A feature of the construction is that the lever includes an arm portion having a finger engaging configuration which may be moved downwardly into a recess of the handle to pivot another arm portion to move it against a latch to move the latch into a non-operative or release portion. The finger engaging portion is advantageously made of a U-shaped configuration, and it includes outer cutting edges to permit it to cut away any ice formation, which may form in the recess of the handle, during its movement. The opposite arm of the latching lever is advantageously made of a U-shaped configuration in order that the same mechanism may be employed for displacing a latch element of a door latch regardless of which side of the vehicle the device may be employed.

SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION This invention relates, in general, to the construction of automobile door handles and, in particular, to a new and useful door handle construction for handles having a lock cylinder and a door latch which is operated by the lock cylinder, and to an improved mounting and constnlction of an actuating lever for the door latch.

The present invention is an improvement over the prior art devices, particularly in respect to the construction of the door latching operating lever. The operating lever is pivotally mounted about its center of gravity on an inwardly extending formation of the handle and it includes a finger operated portion which may be moved into a recess defined in the handle in order to displace the opposite end of the lever against a latch member to open the latch. The lever of the invention includes a forked end which engages the latch mechanism, which is constructed with two leg portions so that one of the legs will always be in a position to engage the latch mechanism regardless of which side of the automobile the lever is employed. A further feature of the lever construction is that it is formed of a U-shaped configuration at the location of the finger engaging portion which recesses within the handle and, the outer end of each leg portion is sharpened or pointed so that it tends to cut away any ice formation which mayform in the handle recess. The lever and the handle form an attractive appearance and they fulfill the safety requirements for such handle and latching mechanism and provide a simple and inexpensive door handle and latch mechanism construction.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a door handle which includes a latching lever which is pivotally mounted thereon and has a finger operated portion which may be moved into a recess of the handle in order to displace an opposite arm portion against a latch to open the door, and wherein the finger operated portion advantageously includes interior edges which are sharpened to provide a cutting action in respect to any ice or snow which may appear in the recess of the handle and wherein the opposite arm portion is formed in a forked manner so that it may be employed on either the left side .or right side of the automobile and will always include a leg of the arm which will be in alignment with the latch mechanism regardless of whether this mechanism has a left side or a right side orientation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a handle construction with a latching lever which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial top plan and partial sectional view of an automobile door having a handle constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the actuating lever; and

FIG. 3 is a section taken on the line IIIIII of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, in particular, the invention embodied therein comprises a door handle generally designated 2, which is arranged in an exterior panel or outer sheet 1 of an automobile. The exterior panel 1 has a recess 1a for accommodating a persons hand when it is engaged in a complementary recess 2a of the handle 2. The handle 2 is provided with an abutment 3 at one end which bears against the remote end of a slot 1b of the panel 1 and, a hooked-shape abutment 4 engages at the near end of a spaced slot 1c of the panel door.

The handle 2 is provided with a cylindrical casing formation 5, which forms a cylindrical recess 2b which accommodates a locking cylinder 7. The locking cylinder 7 includes an eccentric cam 6, which is engaged in a slot (not shown) of a door latch transmission rod mechanism 8. When the cam 6 is rotated, the transmission rod mechanism 8 is shifted to lock or unlock the door.

In the unlocked position, of the transmission rod mechanism 8, the door may be opened by displacing the transmission rod 8 to unlatch the door.

In accordance with the invention, the mechanism for displacing the transmission rod mechanism 8 in order to unlatch the door to permit it to be opened, includes a lever generally designated 9, which is pivotally mounted on a pivot pin 10 on an inward extension 2c of the handle 2. The lever 9 includes a finger engaging portion or first arm 9b which may be displaced into a recess 2d of the handle 2 in order to rock the lever 9 about its pivot 10 and cause a second arm or actuating portion 9a to move against the transmission rod mechanism 8 for the purpose of unlatching the door.

In accordance with one feature of the invention, the actuating arm portion 9a is forked and, includes two legs 9a, 9a arranged in spaced relationship so that at least one of the legs will be in alignment with the transmission rod mechanism 8, regardless of which side of the door this mechanism is employed. It should be appreciated that on the opposite side of the vehicle, it will be necessary to locate the transmission rod mechanism 8 at a different location from that indicated in FIG. 1 so that a different arm 9a would be in alignment therewith on the opposite side of the vehicle.

Biasing means for biasing the lever 9 to a non-operative position which is the solid line position indicated in FIG.

1, includes a coil spring 11 having an end arm portion A which is bent at right angles and engaged over one of the leg portions of the second lever portion 9a to urge this portion against an edge 2e of the handle 2.

When the door is to be opened, the lever 9 is gripped by the index finger along a curved surface 12 to urge the portion 9b into the recess 2d of the handle 2. his causes a displacement of the opposite or second portion 9a against the transmission rod mechanism 8 to unlatch the door. The rod mechanism 8 which is only partially shown and the latch mechanism which is not shown, are of well known construction.

A feature of the construction of the lever 9 is that it is formed with sufficient play so that it may move easily into the recess 2b. In addition, the finger gripping portion 9b is formed of a U-shaped configuration and the ends are pointed or sharpened as at 9c so that movement into the recess will cause the cutting away of any ice or other matter which may tend to accumulate therein.

The invention makes it possible to have a handle of attractive shape, which fulfills the safety requirements in an optimum manner. The spring force which has to be overcome to actuate the lever 9 may be relatively small because the lever is pivoted at its center of gravity. The arrangement is such that strong acceleration of the pivotal movement may be accomplished without causing a difference of initial forces acting on the arm portions 9a and 9b, which would otherwise have to be considered in dimensioning the spring force of the spring 11. In the prior art arrangements, with the locking cylinder which is under the force of a compression spring, the spring force has to be large enough so that it can compensate for the force action of the accelerated locking cylinder casing. The lever 9 may be easily exchanged and replaced so that for different door widths which require different constructions or dimensions of the actuating lever portion 9a a uniform or common handle 1 can be used and, it is only necessary to substitute the particular type of actuating lever 9 which is to be employed therewith.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A door handle and actuating lever construction for use with a door panel having a transmission rod which is displaceable in an unlocked condition to unlatch the door, comprising a door handle of substantially C-shaped configuration defining a central handreceiving cutout portion and spaced apart end portions which are adapted to be secured to the door panel, an actuating lever pivotally mounted on said handle for movement in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the door panel and including a first arm position adapted to be disposed directly adjacent the transmission rod and a second arm portion extending away from pivot in an opposite direction from said first arm portion and into the cutout of the handle, said handle having a recess between the sides thereof which extend inwardly from the cutout thereof and is of a size large enough to receive the second portion of said actuating lever when the lever is operated by engaging the second portion by the fingers of the hand to displace it into the recess, the first portion of said lever being displaced in a direction inwardly in respect to the door panel to contact the transmission rod and displace it to cause unlatching of the door, said actuating lever being pivoted at substantially the center of gravity thereof, said handle carrying a lock cyinder which extends inwardly from the outer surface thereof in a direction into the door panel, said lever having at least one leg portion extending around said lock cylinder.

2. A door handle construction, according to claim 1, wherein said lever first said portion is forked and includes a leg portion arranged on each side of said lock cylinder, at least one of said leg portions being in alignment with the transmission rod.

3. A door handle construction, according to claim 2, including Spring means biasing said lever in a direction to cause said first portion to move against a surface of said handle and in which said said second portion extends out of the recess in to the cutout of said handle.

4. A door handle construction, according to claim 3, wherein said second portion of said handle includes lower edges having sharpened ends capable of cutting away material such as ice which may appear in the recess of said handle as the lever is moved.

5. A door handle and actuating lever construction for use with a door panel having a transmission rod 'Which is displaceable in an unlocked condition to unlatch the door, comprising a door handle of substantially C-shaped configuration defining a central hand-receiving cutout portion and spaced apart end portions which are adapted tobe secured to the door panel, an actuating lever pivotally mounted on said handle for movement in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the door panel and including a first arm portion adapted to be disposed directly adjacent the transmission rod and a second arm portion extending away from the pivot in an opposite direction from said first arm portion and into the cutout of the handle, said handle having a recess between the sides thereof which extend inwardly from the cutout thereof and is of a size large enough to receive the second portion of said actuating lever when the lever is operated by engaging the second portion by the fingers of the hand to displace it into the recess, the first portion of said lever being displaced in a direction inwardly in respect to the door panel to contact the transmission rod and displace it to cause unlatching of the door, said actuating lever being pivoted at substantially the center of gravity thereof, said handle including a cylindrical casing formation extending inwardly from the exterior thereof, a lock cylinder in said casing having a rotary cam, a transmission red mechanism connected to said rotary cam and being displaceable thereby to lock the door, said rotary transmission member being movable when said cam is in an unlocked position, said handle having a pivotal mounting portion projecting in a direction toward the door panel from said handle, said actuating lever being pivotally mounted on said projection, said actuating lever second portion being of substantially U-shaped cross section and having spaced legs which terminate in cutting points for cutting away any material in the recess of said handle to facilitate action of the lever.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1943 Aldeen 292336.3 8/1952 Keeler 70-224 X FOREIGN PATENTS 12/1954 Australia. 4/ 1951 Canada. 9/ 196-3 Great Britain.

US. Cl. X.R. 292--336.3 

